The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today (Friday) issued a consultation paper addressing the "Terms and Conditions for the Assignment of Spectrum for Certain Satellite-Based Commercial Communication Services." This follows a request from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in July 2024, seeking TRAI's recommendations on spectrum pricing and allocation for satellite communication services under the new Telecommunication Act, 2023.
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Consultation on Satellite Spectrum Allocation
The Telecommunication Act, 2023 was enacted in December 2023. In light of the provisions of the Act in respect of certain satellite-based services, TRAI conveyed to DoT that "the DoT’s reference requesting TRAI to provide its recommendations for auction of spectrum for space-based communication services, may require a review by DoT. Therefore, DoT is requested to provide the specific issues on which TRAI’s recommendations are required on the subject," the letter read.
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NGSO and GSO-Based Communication Services
TRAI is now requested to provide recommendations on terms and conditions of spectrum assignment including spectrum pricing while accounting for level playing field with terrestrial access services for the following satellite-based communication services:
Key services under review include:
- Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO)-based fixed satellite services for data and Internet.
- Geostationary (GSO) and NGSO-based mobile satellite services for voice, text, data, and Internet.
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The consultation aims to ensure fair competition between satellite and terrestrial services. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments by October 18th 2024, and counter-comments by October 25th 2024.
